1. Field
The disclosed embodiments relate to a device for non-destructive testing of a component by analyzing the radiation dissipation when the component is stressed by mechanical stresses. Said device comprises measuring means for determining a surface radiation field of the component. The measuring means are integrated in a flexible housing for covering a region of the surface of the component to be tested. Said device enables an initial crack upon stress concentration on a surface of the component and the presence of a crack upon propagation of said crack to be detected. The disclosed embodiments is useful for non-destructive testing (NDT) of aircraft components, but may be used in all industrial sectors where testing the integrity of components is important, such as the automotive, railway, marine, and nuclear industries.
2. Brief Description of Related Developments
Within the design and qualification arena, as well as in the operation and maintenance of aircraft, it is necessary to employ testing methods that allow the evaluation of the stresses that the components will undergo and to be able to determine whether they have been damaged by cracks or fissures, without harming the components constituting the aircraft structure. The techniques used are jointly referred to as “non-destructive testing” (NDT). NDT techniques are numerous and constantly changing, because the industrial sectors concerned have a need for improved performance from these NDT techniques. The air-transport and civil-engineering sectors are always on the lookout for ever more effective NDT techniques to meet the dual requirements of safety and their desire for cost-reduction.
Therefore, the disclosed embodiments have for its particular purpose the detection of fissures that are beginning in the components submitted to strong mechanical and cyclical stresses the repetitions of which after a certain period of time, lead to so-called fatigue cracking and which may lead to breakage of the component.
Among the various NDT structural techniques, the stimulated infrared thermography technique is known for detecting defects in aeronautical structures while based on thermal detection of thermal diffusion barriers constituted by the cracks. This technique consists of rapidly heating the surface of the material to be tested for example by using a flash lamp and observing the surface radiation field with an infrared camera for example. The presence of a defect or a crack appears locally on the thermography images by an abnormally slow return to the room temperature in one area of the component.